Chapter 2

He just knew there was gonna be a headache in his near future. The shields were holding, but he had to strengthen them soon. He could feel the psych-attack was not strong enough to penetrate them, and might even be unintentional; it could be a youngling playing with his powers. He very much doubted that. Never the less, it was downright annoying. Rodney stretched his senses. One of the things he learned very quickly was how to read the opponent, while they were trying to probe him. A treat not even the Alpha of his original pack could do, it saved his hide more than once.

What he felt made him mad though, he could feel his blood pressure rising. The pack presumed he was a weakling, an outcast searching the protection of the pride. But that they send in a pup. A pup. Maybe even an Omega, to test him. That was freaking insulting.

The attack was just an inconvenience. He was expecting it, and despite his weaker shields he could withstand it for few more hours before we would weaken. The headache was unfortunate, but that's what he got for slaking off and not exercising his shield properly.

He knew, that as a lone wolf trying to move into the territory of the pack, he was a potential treat; a threat to the pack's security, the pack structure, even a competition for food. And even though food was not a problem for the shape shifters, the basic instincts of the wolf were very territorial.

While it was true he has been put down in his previous packs, he was never the Omega. His sister Jeannie and her mate Kaleb had been the Alpha pair in the last pack he tried to fit in. She was not form his litter but the one that came after, he never could see eye to eye with her, about anything. She was not a bad Alpha. It was a good pack, except, he really got tired of being put down by Kaleb. It was either because he offended his mate or was just too stubborn or insolent, or just plain undermined his authority. Rodney might be a genius and a powerful wolf, and he had his stars, and human science; it was just so much more fascinating for him than the hunt. In short he was not a fighter. In power, he was stronger than most wolfs he met. Hell he was stronger them most alphas he met. His Psych powers sometimes even scared him, that's why he finally chose the life of a lone wolf. But even he needed a place to stay.

The pup's name was Ford; and Ford was mediocre level wolf, who should work on his shields, they were almost paper thin. It was no wonder he started to falter quickly. His frustration at the futility of the assault was just making it easier for Rodney to read him.

While he could stand Ford's probe and do a quick scan, more signatures came in his line of senses, making it difficult to concentrate. Three more wolfs came out. The sensory overload made him stutter. Rodney had to steady himself and lean on a bar. It has been so long since he felt the pack. It was almost intoxicating, He could sense that all three of the new wolfs were powerful. Each radiated power, and each in different way. They seemed to complement each other.

And when that combined power slammed into him, he almost lost it. His wolf howled in delight, and for the first time in his life he did not want to submit without a fight, he needed to show them all who was better. That scared him. It never happened before. Maybe the years of 'abuse' finally caught with him?

When Rodney stepped into the club, he was certain we wanted one thing, to be left alone and if possible live his life on the outskirts of this Pride's territory without any trouble. This strange urge to prove himself, was new.

He studied himself and started walking towards the four wolfs. At last he managed to pin point their location in the crowded club. He refused to back down. His earlier mantra of 'do not challenge anyone and behave' laid forgotten in his mind.

His wolf screamed we would not let its self be dominated by any wolf, not anymore. He sure as hell picked up a wrong time to grow a backbone. He needed the pack permission to stay there.

He could feel the stare of all four wolfs on him, as he approached their table.

He sniffed a little to get a sense of their smells. A female, and three males, a mated pair, among them. The closer he got harder it become to stay focused.

And then Rodney felt a new pull.

His eyes went wide,

He could sense his mate.

TBC

AN: Again this part was not beta'd. Any mistakes are my own,